The RFNBO certification ecosystem is a network of actors, rules, and processes. It enables producers of Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBOs) to show that their products meet EU RED II/III sustainability requirements. These products use renewable electricity to produce hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels, such as e-ammonia, e-methanol, and e-kerosene. It connects industrial site operators, certification schemes such as CertifHy and ISCC, and certification bodies such as TÜV NORD and Bureau Veritas. All work in a continuous compliance loop.

In nature, ecosystems are intricate webs of life, in which every element plays a vital role. The loss of a single species would result in the destabilization of the entire system.

The certification landscape works similarly, complex and interdependent. Navigating it can be challenging, but understanding how each actor fits together and Atmen’s unique role within it, can simplify the journey.

‍Why Does Certification Exist?

The energy transition created new products and markets. As a result, regulation expanded to define what qualifies as sustainable, through frameworks like the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III) and its Delegated Acts.

But regulation alone is not enough. It sets the rules but does not prove compliance. Without certification, there would be no reliable way to tell which products are genuinely low carbon and which only claim to be.

Today, for industries like hydrogen, e-fuels, and biomethane, proving how a product is made is just as important as the product itself.

Producers must be able to demonstrate, with verifiable evidence, that their sustainability claims are credible, traceable, and compliant with the latest regulations.

‍Who are the key actors in the certification ecosystem?

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Certification is an ecosystem structured around three core actors, each with a distinct role. A living process that extends well beyond the final stamp of approval.

Industrial site operators produce renewable fuels and gases, and are responsible for generating, collecting, and structuring the data needed to prove their product claims. They are both the primary drivers and the auditees of the process.

Certification bodies (verifiers), like TÜV SÜD, TÜV NORD, DEKRA, and Bureau Veritas, serve as the auditing layer.They apply these rules by assessing whether the operator's data and processes meet the scheme's requirements and ultimately issue a certificate authorizing a product to be marketed as compliant.

Certification schemes such as CertifHy, ISCC, REDcert, and RSB, act as the rulebooks of the ecosystem.They translate regulation into concrete methodologies, defining how sustainability is measured, calculated, and validated.

Together, these actors engage in a continuous loop: operators make data-driven claims and mandate an audit. They generate and submit data, then assess it against scheme requirements during an audit; certification bodies issue certifications, which authorize operators to make claims. The cycle repeats annually.

This is where complexity concentrates. For operators, the challenge isn't only understanding regulatory requirements. It's translating them into auditable evidence. As detailed in our recent article, RFNBO Certification in Practice, a single 10-MW electrolyzer site can involve around 70,000 data points and 200+ requirements per audit.

The reality is that much of this process still relies on manual reconciliation, last-minute preparation, and document-heavy workflows built around PDFs, email threads, and site visits. Outdated methods from a bygone era.

Certification is business-critical. Yet, the systems behind it have not evolved at the same pace as the industries they support. With rising regulatory complexity, the industry needs a continuous, data-driven approach instead of a static one.

‍What Role Does Atmen Play in Certification?

Atmen has entered the certification landscape much like a new species within a pre-existing ecosystem. Rather than seeking to replace established actors, it complements their functions.

Atmen’s platform turns complex, scattered operational data into unified audit trails and clear sustainability stories, serving as a data infrastructure layer. It sits between industrial site operators, certification schemes, and certification bodies, replacing the spreadsheets, PDFs, and email threads that once held the ecosystem together.

Where certification schemes define the rules and certification bodies verify compliance, Atmen handles the complexity operators face in between. It translates regulatory requirements, bridging the gap between raw operational inputs and the certified sustainability claims operators need to bring to market.

By aligning the data with scheme methodologies and continuously preparing it for verification, what was once manual and point-in-time now becomes a continuous, system-driven process.

As requirements evolve, this capability becomes critical. Operators need to know not only whether they are compliant today, but how efficiently they can remain compliant tomorrow. The cost of not knowing is direct: suspended certification, blocked POS issuance, and at-risk offtake contracts. In a regulated market, compliance fragility is a margin loss in disguise.

By acting as a shared data infrastructure layer, Atmen reduces audit friction, minimizes errors, and enables operators to achieve scalable, continuous compliance.

Strengthening the entire ecosystem and, finally, bringing certification into the 21st century.

‍Every project sits differently across the certification ecosystem.

Reach out to the team to explore how Atmen fits into yours.

‍Frequently Asked Questions 

‍What is the difference between a certification scheme and a certification body?

A certification scheme, such as CertifHy, ISCC EU, REDcert, or RSB, defines the certification framework: the rules, methodologies, governance processes, and requirements used to assess sustainability, traceability, and greenhouse-gas performance. A certification body, such as TÜV NORD, TÜV Rheinland, Bureau Veritas, or DEKRA, is the independent auditor that assesses compliance with those requirements and issues certification decisions. Operators typically engage with both: the scheme defines the standard, while the certification body verifies conformity against it.

Which certification schemes are recognized for RFNBO under RED III?‍

The European Commission has recognised several voluntary schemes that can be used to demonstrate compliance with RFNBO requirements under the Renewable Energy Directive, including schemes such as CertifHy, ISCC EU, REDcert, and RSB. The list of recognised schemes may evolve over time as new schemes are approved or existing recognitions are updated. The most appropriate scheme depends on the fuel type, customer requirements, certification scope, and target markets.

How often do RFNBO producers need to be audited? 

RFNBO certification is generally maintained through annual third-party audits. Operators must provide evidence demonstrating continued compliance with sustainability, traceability, electricity sourcing, and greenhouse-gas requirements. Depending on the certification scheme, risk profile, and audit findings, additional surveillance or follow-up activities may also be required. Because compliance evidence must be maintained continuously throughout the year, ongoing data collection and record-keeping are typically far more efficient than preparing documentation only at the time of audit.

What happens if an RFNBO audit fails? 

A failed audit means certification may not be issued or renewed until identified non-conformities have been addressed. Without valid certification and supporting Proofs of Sustainability (PoS), operators may be unable to demonstrate RFNBO compliance, make certified renewable claims under the relevant scheme, or satisfy customer and regulatory requirements. This can affect offtake agreements, eligibility for green premiums, and compliance-related market access. For this reason, audit readiness is not just a compliance exercise, it has direct commercial implications.

Can the RFNBO certification process be automated? Yes. Platforms like Atmen Automate are designed to automate many of the operational workflows involved in RFNBO certification, including data collection, traceability, mass balance management, greenhouse-gas calculations, Proof of Sustainability preparation and management, and audit preparation. Automation does not replace the certification scheme or the certification body; rather, it helps operators manage the operational complexity between production and certification, making continuous compliance more efficient, reliable, and scalable.

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